Burning Desire

Dakota

The tension in the room was so great that someone could probably cut through it with a knife. Oliver has managed to wedge himself safely into a corner of the entranceway, Red had shrunk down a size or two despite the heated look still in her eyes, and Dakota was now the one fuming in frustration. His body was already raging with hormones thanks to his heat cycle having not fully left him yet, but a freshly mated pair were always particularly sensitive for the first little while until they settled into their new partnership. Ears flattened against his head and tail flicking behind him in an irritated fashion, the brunette was so focused on the girl in front of him that he didn’t realize Zachary had entered the scene until the vampire’s head was tucking itself under his chin. The menacing look Dakota had been wearing softened almost immediately, his shoulders dropping a little and his canines returning to their normal length. The growling stopped, and the wolf possessively wrapped a strong arm around his mate’s shoulders to pull him closer to his chest. “Woah...” Oliver’s quiet, awe-filled voice cut through the momentary silence, his hazel eyes blinking a few times as he sniffed at the air. “Do you smell that?” He asked, directing his question to nobody in particular, but getting an answer from Red almost immediately. “Yeah, the bloodsucker stinks. So what?” She retorted, earning another cautionary growl from Dakota that made her shrink back against the wall a little more. “No, not that. T-the bond, the connection... It’s so strong.” The blonde continued, stepping away from the wall but continuing to keep his distance from the strong glare Zachary was giving him. Scoffing and crossing her arms, the redhead lowered her gaze to the floor and obediently kept her mouth shut to avoid anymore scolding from her alpha - at least for now. “You only get a scent that powerful from the elders, when they’ve been mated with their partners for... Well, decades, not overnight. Wait, how long have you two..?” Oliver began rambling, his more inquisitive side shining through despite his obvious discomfort towards all the conflict. Releasing a long exhale and pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand, Dakota nodded towards the living room to signal they should move out of the entranceway. “Look, there’s a lot that needs to be said, so let’s sit down and talk this through.” The wolf stated, leading himself as well as Zachary towards the couch in the other room. Plopping himself down and pulling the vampire with him, Koda rested his arm around his mate’s shoulders to keep the guy close. “The both of you are here because I trust you. I don’t expect you to understand, but I do expect the loyalty and respect I’ve always given you.” The alpha claimed as the other two wolves joined them in the living room. “So... What happened, exactly?” Oliver inquired gently, adjusting his glasses and sitting cross-legged in a comfy armchair. “Yeah, just what the hell were you doing in wolf territory again?” Red added in a not-so-friendly manner, grabbing a chair from the dining room table and dragging it loudly into the living room to join the others. “The ass beatings you got from Koda in the past weren’t enough to keep you out of his business?” The beta continued, glaring at the vampire next to her alpha. “Red.” Dakota warned lowly, his tone of voice causing the female’s ears to flatten and her look to grow defensive. “What? He was trespassing.” She complained, crossing her arms again and leaning back miserably in her chair.